Now that I am staying away from Singapore for longer periods, the question that I have been asked most, “Do you miss food from home?” or “What food do you missed the most?”

Parts of chicken. Available everywhere

Well, I cook most of the foods that I like from home and nowadays Asian spices are everywhere… so why would I be missing anything in particular? But I do miss some that I dont cook… like I dont really fry noodles like Char Kway Teow or Hokkien Mee. … And I cant fold leaf bundled rice like Nasi Lemak or Bak Chang. … but otherwise, I am really doing well here, foodwise.

Boiling the chicken for stock

Chicken rice is one of Doug’s favorite, and is not too complicated to DIO “do it ourselves”… Packaged bits of chicken are available in any grocery shop in every country that I visited, making this a really portable recipe. Although some herbs or spices may not be easy to get, but still it will work out ok.

Processing the chicken thighs

Well, this is my version of travelling Chicken rice, using spices that are commonly available in Asian stores in US and Canada. BTW, the parts that I like most is the thighs and with skin.

Boiled chicken skins

Start by boiling the chicken parts in pan of water, with the chicken completely submerged. Add 1 anise, few cloves and pinch of cumin seeds…. or whichever that is available. When it starts to boil vigorously, turn to low heat and simmer for about 15 mins. Its always good to simmer longer, if not in a hurry to serve. Stock will taste better 🙂

While waiting, rinse 2 cups jasmine rice, drain.

Fried chicken skins, perfectly golden

Pull 1 piece of chicken out of the simmering pan onto the chopping board. Use a fork and spoon, pull away the skin and try to shred the flesh. If the chicken seem to be too rare, put it back in the stock and turn up the heat again. Otherwise, turn off the flame, put all chicken pieces on the board. Use a ladle, gather the stock with as much fat as possible, pour the stock into the rice pan. The amount of stock to use in rice cooking is the same as the amount of water that you normally use for steamed rice.

Yay, its chicken rice

Start the rice on a medium heat, stir every few minutes. Cover when not stirring. When rice seems to have expanded, turn to low heat and stop stirring. Cover and let simmer for 20 mins. After that, turn off flame and let it simmer with the residue heat, do not lift the cover for the next 10 mins.

Yummy. Eat chicken rice with chopsticks 🙂 … if u can..

While waiting for rice, shred the chicken meat. Then start the skins on a frying pan, do not add oil, as fat will ooze out from the skins… turnover every few minutes, fry until golden and crispy.

Fill a bowl with the cooked rice, spread the shredded chicken on top, add the skins on the side. Serve with Shiracha and garnish with cilantro. Yummy in about 1hr.